Hoshino Gakki - Timeline

Timeline

• 1908: The Hoshino Shoten bookstore company is founded by Matsujiro Hoshino. Originally selling books and sheet music they gradually start to import musical instruments.
• 1929: The Hoshino company starts Hoshino Gakki Ten Inc. and starts to import Salvador Ibáñez acoustic guitars from Spain.
• 1935: Hoshino Gakki Ten begins their own production of "Ibanez Salvador" branded Spanish guitars.
• 1945: The Hoshino Gakki Ten factory was destroyed by World War II bombing.
• 1955: Hoshino Gakki Ten builds new headquarters in Nagoya Japan and becomes an export only business.
• 1957: Hoshino Gakki Ten starts making the first modern era Ibanez branded guitars.
• 1962: Hoshino Gakki Ten opens the Tama Seisakusho factory.
• 1966: Hoshino Gakki Ten starts to use outside manufacturers for guitars and amplifiers but continues to manufacture drums themselves.
• 1969: Hoshino Gakki Ten starts to use the FujiGen Gakki guitar factory to make most of the Ibanez branded guitars. The headstock logo on Ibanez guitars is changed from a metal logo to a more modern decal logo.
• 1971: Hoshino Gakki Ten starts a U.S. distribution channel named Elger, in Bensalem, PA (right above Philadelphia, PA)
• 1972: Hoshino Gakki Ten launches its own line of Ibanez effect pedals. The Ibanez effect pedals were licensed from the Nisshin Onpa Company who own the Maxon brand.
• 1974: The Tama brand name is used for the drums produced by Hoshino Gakki Ten.
• 1975: The Ibanez Iceman an original guitar design by Hoshino Gakki Ten (Ibanez), Kanda Shokai (Greco) and FujiGen Gakki is launched.
• 1980: The Elgar name is changed to Hoshino USA Inc.
• 1981: Hoshino changes company name from Hoshino Gakki Ten to Hoshino Gakki and starts Hoshino Gakki Mfg (based on TAMA Seisakusho).
• 1982: Hoshino Gakki starts Hoshino Gakki Hanbai for the Japanese domestic market.
• 1987: Hoshino Gakki starts Hoshino Los Angeles office.
• Late 1980s: Hoshino Gakki starts using Korean guitar manufactures as well as Japanese guitar manufactures and in later years also uses Chinese and Indonesian guitar manufacturers.
• 1990: Hoshino Gakki starts Hoshino (U.S.A.) Los Angeles Branch.
• 2005: Hoshino Gakki starts Qingdao Representative Office in China.